514 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



SHOET HORN BULL AND COWS. 



The sketch given above represents specimens of 

 red and white short horn stock, bred by the late 

 Geo. Brown, at "Wintsome Hill, in Berwickshire, 

 England. His splendid bull, named Jupiter, was 

 got by a red and white bull belonging to Mr. Ro- 

 bertson, of Lady-kirk, in that county, named Valen- 

 tine. At that time Mr. Robertson's stock of short 

 horns was in its glory. The dam of this bull was 

 got by a red bull, never named, bred by Thomas 

 Smith, when at Grindon, in Northumberland, and 

 was a son of the old roan bull "Duke." At that 

 period few farmers possessed such high-bred stock 

 as Mr. Smith, — his steers being then unrivalled for 

 beauty and weight. The grand-dam was one of 

 twin gray calves, produced by a gray cow, purchased 

 in calf by Mr. Bro^\^l from the late Mr. Mason, of 

 Chilton. One of the calves, when two years old, 

 Mr. Brown sold for fifty guineas, and the other he 

 retained for himself. 



This bull was jjurchased from Mr. Brown, when 

 one year old, for twenty guineas, and for eight 

 years, during which he was kept at one place, he 

 proved excellent in raising stock, and e\dnced gen- 

 tleness which was remarkable. He had many good 

 points, — small head, lively eye, and small fine white 

 homs. He was completely filled up behind the 

 shoulder, a point in which many fine bulls are defi- 

 cient. He had a long quarter, a very thick flank, 

 and ribs very round. His forearm was very strong, 

 neck vein full, and brisket not too deep, as is often 

 the case with bulls. His back was remarkably 

 straight and broad, the rump full and round. His 

 neck and shoulders were thickly sprinkled with 

 cm-led locks of gray hair, the entire body being 

 covered with fine soft hair. The face was singular- 

 ly ornamented with curly hair, shedded from a line 

 down the front of the face, seeming as if combed 

 toward each eye ; and the hair above the eye seemed 

 combed up to meet the locks from the face. His 

 hide was loose, thick, and soft, and the touch mel- 

 low. He had a most robust constitution, and never 

 had an hour's illness, during a life of nine years. 

 He was generally kept in ordinary condition, get- 

 ting in winter only a few turnips, and being princi- 

 pally supported on straw. When killed, his flesh 

 was fine, and resembled ox, more than bull beef. 



pounds of butter per day, when fully fed ; but for 

 my use, I should prefer the two pound heifer exhil)- 

 ited by Mr. Sheldon, of Wilmington. I have nev- 

 er met the man, who had more correct ideas of the 

 points of a good animal than Mr. S. He is one of 

 the right sort of farmers, who understands both 

 how "to hold and drive," — may liis success be pro- 

 portionate to his knowledge. *. 

 September 20, 1855. 



I''or the New Jingland Farmer. 



THE TEWKSBUEY COW. 



I was much gratified on Wednesday, by the sight 

 of this extraordinary animal, at the Show at Chelms- 

 ford, of whose products I have read in the state- 

 ments made by her owner, Mr. Reed. I have no 

 doubt of their correctness, but still, was greatly dis- 

 appointed in her appearance. She is not hand- 

 some. She has a coarse, bony, ill-looking aspect, 

 occasioned, beyond doubt, by her propensity to con- 

 vert all she takes into milk. I can readily believe 

 that an animal of her size will yield two and a half\ spectators at once fixing upon their favorite compet 



MIDDLESEX CATTLE SHOW AND 

 EXHIBITION. 



The annual festival of the Middlesex Agricultural 

 Society took place on Wednesday, September 26th, 

 a little earlier than usual — the first Wednesday in 

 October being the time at which most of the exhi 

 bitions have been held. For several days previous, 

 there were indications of a storm, the wind prevail- 

 ing from the east, with occasional sea-mists and 

 squalls. On Wednesday, however, the sun soon 

 dissipated the vapors that curled over the streams, 

 or rose slowly, in fantastic forms, from the low 

 grounds, and at nine o'clock, the air was as pure and 

 elastic as on a clear October morning. 



So old jSIiddlesex was awake again. Men and 

 maidens, old folks and children, all sorts of vehicles, 

 mowing and Avashing machines, plows, with some of 

 the prodigies of nature, in human form, thronged 

 the avenues to the Fair Grounds, and made it a gala 

 day indeed. 



Then staid and sober milch cows, staring and 

 wondering what the tumult could mean, came from 

 their quiet and sweet pastures — fat oxen rolled 

 their sleek sides along from their " fall feed " 

 grounds, antic colts with their proud dams from the 

 hills, prim pullets with their crowing husbands 

 from the poultrj'-house, gabbling geese from the 

 pool, ducks from the pond, and fat, sleepy, grunt- 

 ing pigs, with their cousins and uncles, from their 

 stercoraneous abodes. Noble "fifteen and sixteen 

 hand liigh" horses also came, touching the turf as 

 lightly as tlyaugh it were to fall from under their 

 feet at every step, and neighing, prancing and snuff"- 

 ing the mvigorating breeze. All seemed happy to 

 witness the exhibition, and mingle in the festivities 

 of the da}'. 



At nine o'clock the Ploudng Match took place 

 on a field o])posite the Society's grounds. Thirteen 

 teams entered, and the contest was animated and 

 interesting, which a large number of people wit- 

 nessed with apparent satisfaction. The sod was 

 thin, and in some places small stones proved an in- 

 terruption to the plow ; but the work was generally 

 skilfully accomplished. 



The Spading Match took place at. ten, immedi- 

 ately after the plowing, and, as usual, dreAV a large 

 concourse of spectators. The stirring strains of the 

 Boston Brigade Band lent their aid to the occasion, 

 and the scene soon became an animated one, the 



